Princess No More
by MistressLoki1618
Summary: Sequel to Heir Presumptive. The continuation of Princess Evelyn's tale.
1. 5 Years Later

**5 years later**

Evelyn had remained at court in France with her sister, Mary. She had ceased to be the Princess when Mary's son James was born. She was a Duchess now but that was all the title she held, it did make her wealthy though. Mary insisted she and Bash live in the castle with them and their children played together.

Mary had a son that was now five years and named for their father, James. She also had conceived another child, another boy that she had named Francis after his own father. He was three now.

Evelyn had a little girl a year after Mary had her son, she had named her Margaret after their grandmother. She hadn't been able to conceive any more children and it weighed on her mind.

Mary kept telling her that when it was right, she would conceive another, she just had to wait. Evelyn wanted a son though, she wanted to give Bash a son, he deserved that.

Evelyn had taken a sharp turn in the way she was behaving as the years went on. She was outside practicing her sword play with Lucas that day. She was behaving aggressively and angry. She swung at him and almost hurt him, so he knocked her feet out from under her and she hit the ground hard, "What was that?"

Lucas held his sword to her throat, "What is wrong with you, Your Highness?"

Evelyn glared up at him, "Nothing is wrong with me, Lucas. You just need to let me up and explain yourself."

He scoffed, "You explain yourself, my lady. You have never behaved so aggressively when we are practicing."

Evelyn sighed as her facial expression changed and he asked, "Tell me."

She said, "The dream of my own death is becoming more abundant now. It plays in my head every night."

Lucas moved his sword and helped her to her feet, "As long as you do not go back to Scotland, it cannot happen."

Evelyn felt the tears start to fall, "My mother is ill, Lucas. She wants her children and grandchildren at her side."

Lucas' eyes grew wide, "You cannot go, Evie."

She eyed him, "Do you not think I know that? If I go, I will die. If I do not, then my mother could die without me by her side which I would never forgive myself for."

Lucas put his arm around her, "Have you talked to your sister or Sebastian about this?"

Evelyn shook her head, "I would not even know where to start. Mary knows about the dream, but she may have forgotten by now."

Lucas said, "Then speak with her again about it. She will understand your plight. She was worried about herself causing the Prince's death."

Evelyn started to cry harder as he stayed in Lucas' arms and then she heard, "Evie, are you alright?"

Evelyn wiped her tears away and turned to face her husband who looked worried. She smiled fakely, "I am alright, Bash."

Lucas glared at her in disbelief and Evelyn turned away from him, "Let us go back to the castle."

She took Bash's arm and started to walk away but Lucas said, "Sebastian, wait. I wish to speak with you."

Evelyn stared at him in fear and Lucas saw her desperation, "I have to tell him, Evie. You cannot carry this burden alone."

Bash turned to Lucas, "What burden is my wife carrying?"

Lucas said, "Her dream, the one of her death. It came back, it keeps playing in her head at night."

Bash turned to Evelyn, "Is this true?"

Evelyn just stared at Lucas in anger now and Bash asked, "Why did you not tell me, Evie? This is important."

Evelyn yelled, "And so is my mother's life. You know my mother is ill, Bash, and she wants us home to see her in case anything happens. But Scotland is where I die. Either I refuse my mother her last request or I die. I do not have very nice choices, Bash."

Bash pulled her to him, "We will keep you protected. Nothing will happen to you, Evie."

Evelyn pulled away from him, "No, that could just get other people killed. We will go and I will see my mother and we will let fate fall where it needs to."

Bash shook his head, "I will not allow that and neither will Mary."

Evelyn scoffed, "Have you not realized by now that Mary cannot stop me? I am the one saving her mostly, not the other way around. I just need you to protect Margaret. I do not want anything bad to happen to her because of me."

Lucas said, "You cannot go, Your Highness. You are risking everything."

Evelyn's anger came out, "I am not your Queen anymore. I am just a girl."

Lucas shook his head, "You will always be our Queen, Evie. You accepted that.

Evelyn screamed, "Stop it. I relinquish that title."

Lucas said, "You cannot. You are our Queen. You accepted the title, and it will forever be yours. It also means that we will help make sure you are safe."

Evelyn and Bash both raised an eyebrow and Bash asked, "What do you intend to do?"

Lucas said ,"I will go talk to the others, but we will go with you back to Scotland. We will make sure no one harms you."

Evelyn asked, "And what if any of you are caught? The guards will know you are Pagans."

Lucas said, "We take our own chances, Evie. You do not worry about that. Just worry about your safety and the safety of your family."

Evelyn shook her head, "It is too dangerous Lucas, if you are caught, they will burn you. My heart could not bear that."

Lucas smiled, "I will be alright, Evie. Do not worry about me."

Evelyn still shook her head but Bash asked, "Can you keep her safe?"

Lucas nodded, "I feel that we can."

Bash nodded, "Then we will do it. Send word to your people."

Lucas bowed slightly to Evelyn before he walked away. Evelyn spun on Bash, "You cannot ask him to do that."

Bash said, "I can if it means your safety."

Evelyn huffed in anger as she turned to walk away from Bash and back towards the castle.


	2. Arguments

Evelyn went straight to find her sister after her argument with Bash. She found her sister outside with the children. She was playing ball with them and so were the other two princes, Henry and Charles. Evelyn smiled at them, "Out playing with the children, Mary?"

Mary turned to look at her sister, "Evie, come to join us?"

Evelyn said, "Rather to avoid Bash. He is speaking for me again and you know how I detest that."

Mary sighed, "Do not be so upset with him. It is in their nature to take care of us. What was the argument about this time?"

Evelyn wouldn't look at her sister and Mary grew worried, "What was it, Evie?"

Evelyn said, "My dream about Scotland."

Mary's eyes grew wide, "You should have passed that. Is it still looming over you?"

Evelyn nodded, "It is indeed sister. And with mother being ill, it does not bode well for me. Lucas has decided his friends shall help me, but I do not want him to be hurt. He is my dearest friend."

Mary went to hug her sister, "We will not let anything happen to you Evie, I promise."

Evelyn looked at her sadly, "What if you cannot stop it?"

Mary shook her head, "Forget about that for now, let us play with the children."

The two women chased their children around as they kicked the ball around the grounds. Even Stirling was chasing the ball with the children.

That evening, she wanted to speak with Bash about some things. She found him standing off their balcony of their room. She walked over to him, touching him lightly on the shoulder, "I am sorry we fought, Bash."

Bash turned to her with sadness in his eyes, "Why do you not let me help you and protect you, Evie?"

Evelyn sighed, "Because more than the thought of my own death, the thought of you dying scares me to death. I could not bear it if you died trying to protect me."

Bash shook his head, "That is what people who love each other do, Evie."

Evelyn shook her head, "No, Bash. You cannot stop this one."

Bash said, "But you stopped the one about Francis dying."

Evelyn looked at the ground, "I did not stop it, I misinterpreted what I had seen. It is different Bash."

He shook his head in exasperation, "Evie, if you are so convinced that you cannot stop it, then we will not go."

Evelyn glared at him, "You cannot make that decision for me."

Bash held his head higher, "I am your husband, and you will do as I say."

Evelyn said, "I must see my mother in case something happens to her. I cannot let her pass alone. She has not even gotten to see Mary and I's children."

Bash spoke with a sternness she had never heard before, "I said no and that is final."

Evelyn stomped away from him in anger and went straight towards the throne room. She saw Francis sitting and speaking with his advisors, "Francis. I must speak with you at once."

Francis glanced up, "Evie, is something the matter? Is it Mary or the children?"

Evelyn shook her head, "Both are quite fine, Francis. This matter is about me and I would appreciate it if we spoke alone."

Francis dismissed his advisors and they were left alone in the room. It was so strange to speak with Francis now that he was the King. King Henry had passed a few years ago, but Queen Catherine was alive still. Francis had ascended to the throne though with Mary as his Queen. It was how Evelyn had lost her title. Mary's children then became the Princes of both France and Scotland. Francis said, "What did you wish to speak about Evie?"

Evelyn said, "I know Mary has told you that our mother is sick and that she wants us to come to her. She wants to see us one last time if her death was to come."

Francis nodded, "Yes, I have already started preparing the arrangements for us all to go to Scotland."

Evelyn said, "Bash has forbidden me to go. I want you to overrule him. Tell him you demand that I go."

Francis looked confused, "Bash would never deny you the right to see your dying mother. Why did he say such a thing?"

Evelyn sighed, "I am sure Mary has told you about my dream."

Francis asked, "The one concerning your death? Yes she has."

Evelyn said, "The dream has started again, quite frequently. And I am to die in my homeland on the grounds."

Francis looked horrified by her words, "So Bash told you that you could not go because he feared for your safety?"

Evelyn nodded, "I do not need his safety though. I must go, and if I am to die, then so be it."

Francis shook his head, "I do not like that you have put me in the middle of this with my brother but I will tell him that you are to go."

Evelyn hugged him tightly, "Thank you Francis."

He nodded and Evelyn ran out to head back to her room. When she entered, she saw that Bash was in bed and she changed into her night dress and climbed into bed beside him. After a few moments, he rolled over to look at her, "I do not wish to fight with you any longer, Evie. I love you; I just want you to remain safe."

Evelyn touched his cheek tenderly, "If you love me as you say you do, then allow me to do this my own way and to try to fix this."

He sighed but said, "I will allow that, Evie."

Evelyn watched as he started to close his eyes but she stopped him with her words, "But you must promise me one thing."

Bash opened his eyes to look at her, "What is that, Evie?"

Evelyn looked solemn as she spoke, "If I do die, then I want you to make sure that you take care of our daughter and help her through it. She will miss me dearly."

Bash was silent and Evelyn said, "Promise me, Bash."

He leaned over her and said, "Do not speak like that, Evie." She opened her mouth to speak out again but he silenced her with a kiss and she was lost in it.


	3. To Scotland

Evelyn knew she shouldn't have gone over Bash's head but she had and there was no turning back now. She could hear the two brothers fighting in the throne room and she hated that she had caused it. Bash stormed out and walks past Evelyn without stopping. Evelyn ran after him, "Bash, stop! Listen to me!"

Bash yelled, "No Evelyn! How could you go over my head to my brother? Just because he is the King? You have truly wounded me, Evelyn. I cannot speak with you right now."

Evelyn started to cry, "Bash please! You would not listen to me. I have to see my mother. I would not forgive myself if she died and I did not get to see her. You have to understand."

Bash sighed, "I understand that. Eventually I would have reluctantly allowed you to go, but to do this, you wound me."

Evelyn didn't know what else to say so she had to watch him walk away. Francis came out of the throne room, "We leave in the morning, Evelyn." He said it with such emotionlessness and she knew he was upset with her now as well.

He then walked away from her as well. Evelyn walked towards her room and saw the children in the hall with the older Princes. Margaret ran to her mother and hugged her tightly, "Momma."

Evelyn held her tightly, "My sweet girl. We must pack our things. We are going to visit grandmother in Scotland."

Margaret smiled as Evelyn carried Margaret with her to her room. She saw that Bash was nowhere to be seen. She worried where he had gone but she kept a happy face for her daughter. She started to pack their belongings and after a bit, there was a knock on the door. Evelyn went to answer it and Mary stood there, "What happened with Bash?"

Evelyn said, "I went to Francis to make sure I would be able to visit mother. They fought and Bash was very unhappy with me."

Mary scoffed, "Unhappy? Evelyn, we just saw him ride off into the woods earlier. And he did not tell anyone where he was going."

Evelyn looked panicked, "Mary..."

Mary shook her head, "I cannot help you fix this. You will just have to wait until he returns. Plead with him Evie. I know you are scared but you cannot act this way."

Evelyn didn't say a word, so Mary said, "I must go pack for Scotland. I will take Margaret back to the nursery so you can have peace."

Evelyn nodded and watched her sister leave with her daughter. She sat beside her bed and just started to sob. She had finally started to find happiness and now her vision threatened to ruin it all. She felt cursed for having these retched visions; she wished they would just go away. She fell asleep against the bed and was startled by the door opening in the middle of the night. She glanced up to see Bash, Who looked just as heartbroken. Evelyn stood up slowly, "Bash..."

He held up his hand to silence her, "I have something to say first." Evelyn nodded and he said, "I just went to see my mother. She believed that your visions are what is making you erratic. She said that you are so fearing of death that you will do all you may to avoid it. But she said that if your mother is in poor health, you will risk everything to see her because otherwise you wouldn't be the woman I love. You are so compassionate and kind that you will do everything for everyone else, even if it sacrifices your own life. We will go to Scotland so you can see your mother and I will protect you with all I have, as has Lucas promised as well. We will get through this, Evie, because I am not ready to lose you yet."

Evelyn felt the tears in her eyes as she fell into his arms, "I am so sorry Bash. I love you. I am not just afraid. I know what happens in Scotland, I have seen how it happens. I want so desperately to just stay here where I know I will be safe, but if I do, then like you have said, I would not be the person you love. I am so willing to do anything to other people, even if it risks my own life in the process."

He leaned down to kiss her as he whispered, "I love you too. Now let us get some sleep. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow."

They laid down in bed together and Bash wrapped his arms around Evelyn. Evelyn said, "I am scared Bash. I am not ready to die."

He held her tighter, "So am I, Evie. I am terrified to lose you. You are the one good thing in my life. You and Margaret."

Evelyn curled into his arms as she fell asleep.


End file.
